People utilize computers to access or generate information, to produce content, to communicate with others, to experience media (music, television, movies, or other video), and to play games. However, multiple users do not share most computer experiences, because they are isolated from each other in terms of geography, chronology, or with respect to the content that they access. Whatever activity a computer user experiences is typically either asynchronous to other users (such as email, viewing and posting within a social network service, etc.), or synchronous within a closed environment (such as online gaming). Alternatively, the activity is entirely personal, such as viewing a movie, watching a sporting event via a web feed, or laughing at the latest YOUTUBE® post.
The last few years have witnessed the rise of online social networks to connect people with friends, acquaintances, and enable them to share interests, pictures, videos, emails, and the like. A typical online social network provides a representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a variety of services, including means for users to interact over the internet, such as e-mail and instant messaging. Social networking sites allow users to share ideas, activities, events, and interests within their individual networks.
However, such social networking sites are typically asynchronous. That is, users access network services on their schedule, and review activities, events and interests that have been previously posted by other users within their network. And, if they add content or dialogue to their network, other users will see such posting at a later time, when they access the network.
By contrast, online gaming services connect people in a synchronous fashion. That is, gamers go online and share a gaming experience with each other at the same time. However, the form of the shared content is predefined: the game that the users are playing. The online games are closed systems, where the content that is experienced by the users is predefined within the gaming environment. Moreover, the persons with whom the content is shared is also closed and restricted to members involved in the game.